What Is Parts Work? Understanding Internal Family Systems Therapy
The Many Voices Within
Picture this, it’s a breezy Friday night in the midst of summer. Part of you is excited to go out, connect with friends, and enjoy the energy of the night! But another part of you desperately wants to curl up on the couch with Netflix and a glass of wine and just decompress from the week. Sound familiar?
If you've ever felt this internal conflict, you've already experienced what us therapists call "parts work" – and you're not alone. This inner dialogue is completely normal, and understanding it can be transformative, especially for the entrepreneurs and creatives I work with who navigate complex decision-making daily.
What Is Parts Work?
Parts work, formally known as Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, is a powerful psychotherapeutic approach that recognizes we all have multiple "parts" within us. Rather than viewing ourselves as having one unified personality, IFS therapy acknowledges that we, as human, as complex – made up of different parts, each with its own perspective, feelings, and role in our internal system.
Think of it like the movie Inside Out, where Riley's emotions – Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust – are portrayed as distinct characters running the control panel of her mind. While the movie simplifies things for storytelling, it brilliantly illustrates a profound psychological truth: we all have many parts inside us, each trying to help us navigate life in their own way.
The Science Behind Parts Work
Internal Family Systems was developed by psychologist Dr. Dick Schwartz in the 80s. What began as a way to help families communicate better evolved into an in-depth model of the mind. IFS is now recognized as an evidence-based practice for treating trauma, anxiety, depression, and a wide range of mental health concerns. We can even do EMDR on your various parts!
The core premise is simple yet profound: everyone has parts, and there are No Bad Parts. These parts aren't problems to be eliminated – they're valuable aspects of ourselves that deserve to be understood and integrated.
Understanding Your Internal System
The Three Types of Parts
In IFS therapy, parts generally fall into three categories:
1. Managers – These proactive parts try to keep you in control and protect you from emotional pain. For entrepreneurs, a Manager might be the part that pushes you to work 12-hour days, constantly checks your metrics, or makes you over-prepare for every single meeting. While helpful in moderation, Managers can lead to burnout when they dominate your system.
2. Firefighters – When emotional pain does surface, Firefighters rush in with quick-fix solutions. They are the reactive parts that come in quick to put out the fire. These are the parts that might lead you to scroll social media for hours, binge-eat, overspend, or engage in other impulsive behaviors to numb difficult feelings. For creatives, a Firefighter might manifest as procrastination or perfectionism that prevents you from sharing your work.
3. Exiles – These are the wounded, often younger parts of ourselves that carry painful emotions and memories from the past. Exiles hold feelings like shame, fear, loneliness, or worthlessness. Both Managers and Firefighters work overtime to keep Exiles hidden because their pain feels overwhelming.
The True Self
At the core of your internal system is what IFS calls Self. This is your essence, your core, characterized by qualities like curiosity, compassion, clarity, courage, and calm. When you're in Self, you can lead your parts with wisdom rather than being hijacked by them.
Parts Work for Entrepreneurs and Creatives
For those building businesses or creating art, understanding parts work is especially valuable. Here's why:
Decision-Making Clarity
Entrepreneurs face countless decisions daily. When you recognize which part is driving a choice, you can make more aligned decisions. Is your ambitious Manager pushing you to take on another project when you're already stretched thin? Is a fearful Exile making you play it safe when calculated risk is needed?
Creative Freedom
Many creatives struggle with a critical inner voice. (Hello, Imposter Syndrome?) Through parts work, you can identify the protective Manager that's trying to keep you safe from rejection by criticizing your work first. Once you understand this part's positive intention, you can reassure it and access the creative flow of your True Self.
Preventing Burnout
The hustle culture celebrated in entrepreneurship often amplifies Manager parts that believe rest equals failure. Parts work helps you recognize when these protective strategies have become counterproductive, allowing you to build sustainable practices.
Navigating Vulnerability
Putting yourself out there as an entrepreneur or creative requires vulnerability. Parts work helps you work with the Firefighters that might sabotage launches or the Exiles that fear visibility, so you can show up authentically.
How IFS Therapy Works: What to Expect
When you work with an IFS-trained therapist, they help you:
1. Identify Your Parts
You'll learn to notice when different parts are activated. Instead of saying "I'm anxious," you might recognize "a part of me feels anxious." This simple shift creates space and perspective.
2. Understand Each Part's Role
Every part has a positive intention, even if its strategy is problematic. Your therapist helps you get curious about what each part is trying to accomplish. The part that procrastinates might actually be protecting you from the vulnerability of being seen or judged.
3. Access Self-Leadership
Through guided practices, you'll learn to access your True Self – the calm, compassionate center that can lead your internal system. From this place, you can dialogue with your parts rather than being overwhelmed by them.
4. Heal Wounded Parts
IFS therapy helps you gently access and heal Exiles carrying old wounds. When these parts are unburdened, the Managers and Firefighters can relax because there's less pain to protect you from.
5. Create Internal Harmony
The goal isn't to eliminate parts but to help them work together harmoniously. Like a well-functioning team, each part contributes its strengths without overwhelming the system.
Practical Example: The Friday Night Dilemma
Let's return to that Friday night conflict. Through parts work, you might discover:
A social part (Manager) believes going out is necessary to maintain relationships and network for your business
A rest-seeking part (also a Manager) knows you're depleted and need recovery time
An achievement-oriented part (Manager) thinks you should be working on your project instead of either option
A younger part (Exile) carries fear of missing out or memories of loneliness
Without awareness, these parts create confusion and inner conflict. With IFS, you can access Self, listen to each part's concerns, and make a decision that honors your whole system. Maybe you go out for two hours instead of staying until midnight. Maybe you stay home guilt-free, knowing you're making a conscious choice for your wellbeing.
Signs You Might Benefit from Parts Work
Parts work can be transformative if you experience:
Persistent inner conflict or indecision
Self-sabotaging patterns that interfere with your goals
Intense self-criticism or perfectionism
Difficulty setting boundaries or saying no
Feeling like different versions of yourself in different contexts
Imposter syndrome or chronic self-doubt
Creative blocks or fear of visibility
Burnout cycles or inability to rest
Difficulty accessing emotions or feeling numb
Reactions that seem disproportionate to current situations
Finding an IFS Therapist
When seeking parts work therapy, look for practitioners with IFS training. The IFS Institute maintains a directory of certified therapists. A qualified IFS therapist will:
Create a safe, non-judgmental space
Help you develop Self-leadership
Work at your pace, respecting protective parts
Believe in your capacity for healing
Understand the unique pressures of entrepreneurship or creative work
The Benefits of Parts Work
Clients who engage in IFS therapy often report:
Greater self-compassion: Understanding that all parts have good intentions reduces self-judgment
Improved relationships: As you harmonize your internal system, external relationships often improve
Enhanced creativity: When protective parts relax, creative energy flows more freely
Better decision-making: Self-leadership leads to choices aligned with your authentic values
Reduced anxiety and depression: Healing wounded parts reduces the system's overall reactivity
Increased capacity for joy: When you're not constantly managing internal conflict, there's more space for positive emotions
Integration: Living from Self
The ultimate goal of parts work isn't perfection – it's integration. You'll still have parts that react, worry, or protect. But instead of being hijacked by them, you'll be able to recognize what's happening, thank them for coming and trying to protect you, and respond from your centered Self.
For entrepreneurs and creatives, this translates to building businesses and creating art that reflect your authentic vision rather than reactive fears. It means sustaining your work over the long term because you're caring for your whole internal system, not just driving yourself from one achievement to the next.
Conclusion: Your Internal Family Awaits
Just like Riley in Inside Out needed all her emotions to navigate life successfully, you need all your parts. The anxious part that keeps you vigilant, the playful part that sparks creativity, the protective part that sets boundaries, the vulnerable part that connects deeply with others – they all belong.
Parts work through IFS therapy offers a compassionate, powerful way to access all your parts and help them work in harmony. Rather than fighting yourself, you can become the wise leader of your internal system, making decisions from a place of clarity and integration.
If you're an entrepreneur or creative feeling pulled in different directions, exhausted by inner conflict, or ready to access your full potential, parts work might be exactly what you're looking for.
Ready to explore your internal system? Consider working with an IFS-trained therapist who specializes in supporting entrepreneurs and creatives. Your parts are waiting to be heard, understood, and integrated into the remarkable whole that is you.
